Psalms 69

1 O God, save me, because [I am in great danger]. [It is as though] flood water is up to my neck, [and I am about to drown] [MET].

For the music director. To the tune “Lilies.” A psalm of David. God, please save me, because the water is up to my neck!

2 I continue to sink in the deep mud, and there is no solid ground for me to stand on. I am in deep water, and flood waters are swirling around me.

I'm sinking deeper into the mud—there's no solid ground for me to stand. I find myself in deep water; floods wash over me.

3 I am exhausted from calling out [for help]; my throat is very dry. Because I have cried so much as I have waited for God [to help me], my eyes are swollen.

I'm so tired of screaming out for help my throat is totally raw. My eyes are worn out looking for my God to help me.

4 Those who hate me when there is no reason to hate me are more than the number of hairs on my head [HYP]! Those who want to get rid of me are strong, and they tell lies about me. They demand that I return to them things that I did not steal!

Those who hate me for no reason are more than the number of hairs on my head. Many enemies try to destroy me by telling lies. How can I give back what I didn't steal?

5 O God, (you see the sins that I have committed/my sins are not hidden from you). You know that I have foolishly [disobeyed your laws].

God, you know how foolish I am! My sins are not hidden from you.

6 O Yahweh God, [you who are the commander] of the armies [of heaven], do not allow the [wrong things that] I [have done] to cause those who trust in you to be disappointed/disillusioned. O God, you whom [we] Israeli people [worship], do not allow me to cause your people to be humiliated.

Don't let those who trust you be ashamed because of me, Lord God Almighty. Don't let those who follow you be disgraced because of me, God of Israel.

7 People have insulted/ridiculed me because [I am devoted to] you. They have thoroughly humiliated [IDM] me.

For your sake I put up with the insults; my face shows my embarrassment.

8 Even my own [older] brothers act as if they do not know me; they treat me like a foreigner.

I have become a foreigner to my brother Israelites; a stranger to my very own brothers.

9 [Some people have despised your temple]; but my zeal for [keeping] your temple [holy] is like a fire burning inside me. So [it is as though] those who are insulting you are also insulting me.

My devotion for your house is burning me up inside; the insults of those who insulted you have fallen on me.

10 When I have humbled myself and (fasted/abstained from eating food) [to show my sadness about the disgraceful things that they have done to your temple], they just insult me.

I wept and I fasted, but they mocked me;

11 When I put on [rough] sackcloth [to show that I am sad], they laugh at [IDM] me.

I mourned in sackcloth, but they laughed at me.

12 Even the elders [of the city] say bad things about me. The drunkards of the city sing [disgusting] songs about me.

People sitting by the town gate gossip about me. I'm the subject of rude songs sung by drunks.

13 But Yahweh, I will [continue] praying to you. At the time that you choose, answer me and rescue me because you faithfully love me.

But my prayer is to you, Lord, believing this is a good time to respond to me. God, in your wonderful trustworthy love, answer me with your sure salvation.

14 Do not allow me to sink any more in the mud. Rescue me from those who hate me! Lift me up out of these deep waters!

Please rescue me from the mud—don't let me sink! Save me from those who hate me and from drowning in the deep waters!

15 Do not allow flood waters to swirl around me, do not allow the deep [mud] to swallow me; keep me from sinking into the pit [of death] [MET].

Don't let the flood waters wash over me. Don't let the deep waters pull me down. Don't let the grave close over me.

16 O Yahweh, answer my prayer and help me because you are good and love me faithfully.

Please answer my prayers, Lord, for you are good and love me with your trustworthy love; because of your kindness, please help me.

17 Do not (hide yourself from/refuse to hear) me; answer me quickly because I am in great trouble.

Don't turn away from me, your servant. Please answer me quickly because I'm in trouble.

18 Come near to me and save me; rescue me from my enemies.

Come here and rescue me; set me free from my enemies.

19 You know that I am insulted and that [people cause] me [to feel] ashamed and dishonored; you know [who] all my enemies [are].

You—you know my shame, my disgrace, my humiliation. You see everything my enemies are doing.

20 [Their] insults have deeply offended me, and I (feel helpless/am in despair). I searched for [someone who would] pity [me], but there was no one. I wanted someone to encourage/comfort me, but there were none.

Insults have broken my heart—I am so sick there is no cure. I looked for some sympathy, but there was no one! Nobody showed me any compassion.

21 [Instead], they gave me food [that tasted like] poison, and when I was thirsty, they gave me sour wine to drink.

Instead they gave me bitter herbs to eat and vinegar to drink.

22 I hope/desire that the feasts [MTY] [that they enjoy] will (become a snare for/bring trouble to) them, and that [those whom they invite to] the sacrificial feasts will also be trapped.

May the table set before them become a trap for them, a net that catches them, bringing punishment.

23 I hope/desire that their eyesight will become dim so that they cannot see anything, and that their backs/bodies will become weaker and weaker.

May their eyes become blind so they cannot see, and may their backs always be bent low in dejection.

24 Show them that you are very angry with them! Because of your great/furious anger, chase after them and catch them.

Pour out your judgment on them; chase them down in your fierce anger.

25 Cause their towns to become abandoned/deserted and that there will be no one left to live in their tents/houses.

Let the places where they live be deserted. Let their homes be abandoned.

26 [Do this] because they persecute those whom you have punished, (they talk about the sins of/they want to hurt even more) those whom you have wounded.

For they persecute those you have punished, and make it even more painful for those you have disciplined.

27 Keep making a record of all their sins, do not acquit/pardon them [for the evil things that they have done].

Punish them for the evil they have done. Don't acquit them.

28 Erase their names [SYN] from the book [containing the names of those who have eternal] life; do not include them in the list of righteous people.

Blot out their names from the Book of Life. Don't let them be listed with those who do right.

29 As for me, I have pain and am suffering. O God, protect me and rescue me.

But I am suffering and in physical pain. God, please save me and keep me safe.

30 When God does that, I will sing as I praise God, and I will honor him by thanking him.

I will praise God's character in song; I will say how incredible he is and how thankful I am.

31 My doing that will please Yahweh more than [sacrificing] oxen, more than offering him full-grown bulls.

The Lord is happier with this than with offering animals as sacrifices: cattle, or bulls with horns and hooves.

32 Oppressed/Afflicted people will see [that God has rescued me], and they will be glad. I want all of you who ask God [to help you] to be encouraged.

The humble will see this and be happy. May God encourage everyone who comes to him.

33 Yahweh listens to those who are needy; He does not ignore/forget those who are oppressed/imprisoned.

God hears the poor, and he does not ignore his people who are in prison.

34 I desire that everything will praise God— everything that is in heaven and on earth, and all the creatures that are in the seas.

Praise him heaven and earth, the seas and everything that lives in them!

35 God will rescue the people of Jerusalem [from their enemies], and he will rebuild the towns that are in Judah. His people will live there and [again] possess the land.

For God will save Zion, and rebuild the cities of Judah. They will live there and own the land.

36 The descendants of his people will inherit it, and those who love him will live there [safely].

The descendants of those who follow him will inherit the land, and those who love him will live there.